Foundation (Prep/Kinder) 2015 - Chat

**wysiwyg** · June 22nd, 2015, 08:16 PM

If using ACARA (not IB) curriculum the ABCDE format you've described is how things should work (particularly at primary). Some secondary schools have rubrics similar to yr 11/12 marking (at least in SA)

How does the effort bit work is that a standard too - I am sure they missed something off the page as all it says is Effort and Classroom Behavior - and the scales are Consistently, Usually, Sometimes, Rarely - but it doesn't say Consistently, Usually what - does it mean Consistently at level that is expected, Rarely at level that is expected etc.??

Yes our school also says you can ask for comparison info from teacher if you want which they will provide verbally only. I am just not clear on why you would want the comparison, what it could tell you that would be useful? I mean the class is just a subset of children of similar age to your child - and is quite arbitrary really so maybe your child is in a class that is full of children that are exceptional or full of children that aren't, so the positioning of your child compared to them just seems a little irrelevant. Isn't that why they are assessed against where they are expected to be for their year - because what is important is where they are in relation to the curriculum and seeing their progress?

**Olive** · June 22nd, 2015, 08:35 PM

Our scale for effort and classroom behaviour are needs attention, acceptable, good, very good and excellent

**~Gee_Whizzy~** · June 22nd, 2015, 09:16 PM

Ours effort scale is the same as Olives and they use the AusVELS A-E reporting system, with C being "At standard expected at this time of year".

You'd be surprised how many parents want to compare/see where their child is at. I know of 7 parents from DD1s class who have already asked for the comparison. DH and I don't care where DD1 is compared to her peers. I'm more interested in the end of year report, which should, hopefully, show progression.

**wysiwyg** · June 22nd, 2015, 09:53 PM

Mmm will have to check with the school about what their scale means. (I have asked, but no answer yet and i can't be only parent who didn't understand it, I know where DD is from report comments and the interview, but would be good to understand how to read that bit too)

Yes I probably would be surprised how many people ask. If i was the school I wouldn't give out the comparison data, what was it I read the other day "we aren't improving because we waste time appealing to what parents want rather than doing what we know works in education"

**~Gee_Whizzy~** · June 22nd, 2015, 10:18 PM

We had a prep info session 2 weeks ago to prepare parents for the report system and how to read and interpret it. The main point the Principal stressed was to read the *comments* about your child under each section as this is what would give a clear indication of how/where your child is doing. Still, a lot of the parents couldn't grasp that on the scale, a C was not a "bad" grade!

Our demographic has a lot of families where success is directly comparative to grades achieved (a, b, c etc..) So, for our school, I wasn't surprised by how many wanted to know the comparison rate, rightly or wrongly.

**wysiwyg** · June 23rd, 2015, 09:37 AM

The info evening seems like a good idea. You have to wonder whether they considered not using A, B, C, D, E for this system, I mean if they had used a different nomenclature e.g RSTUV then people might be less inclined to think of the C level of "achieving at the level they are expected" as a bad thing. After all generations of parents will have grown up with a perception of what ABCDE means and that can be hard to shift I suppose.

**Olive** · June 23rd, 2015, 12:57 PM

I never knew you could ask for comparisons, nor would I ever ask for it, what's wrong with people!!!!

**wysiwyg** · June 23rd, 2015, 02:59 PM

I never knew you could ask for comparisons, nor would I ever ask for it, what's wrong with people!!!!

Maybe your school has more sense than to state that it is available at a parents request :-). They will never shift peoples attitudes while they still try to cater for people who have different ideas from those the school has decided are the best approach - they should just stick to their guns and not give it out IMO. They do try to dissuade people from asking, but not far enough IMO - it isn't about privacy - it is just irrelevant.

In foundation they are very good at training the kids not to pry about what levels the other kids are reading at, so much so that when my mum asked DD what level she was at in reading DD said "You don't need to know that" :-) - I would be giving the parents the same answer, or if they could give me a reasonable answer about how knowing that info would change anything - maybe.

**leckert** · June 23rd, 2015, 04:51 PM

How does the effort bit work is that a standard too - I am sure they missed something off the page as all it says is Effort and Classroom Behavior - and the scales are Consistently, Usually, Sometimes, Rarely - but it doesn't say Consistently, Usually what - does it mean Consistently at level that is expected, Rarely at level that is expected etc.??

Yes our school also says you can ask for comparison info from teacher if you want which they will provide verbally only. I am just not clear on why you would want the comparison, what it could tell you that would be useful? I mean the class is just a subset of children of similar age to your child - and is quite arbitrary really so maybe your child is in a class that is full of children that are exceptional or full of children that aren't, so the positioning of your child compared to them just seems a little irrelevant. Isn't that why they are assessed against where they are expected to be for their year - because what is important is where they are in relation to the curriculum and seeing their progress?

Effort is usually against attempting work (if that makes sense) - so X always makes an effort to complete work; X consistently makes an effort to complete work; X sometimes.... Etc

As teachers we are required to be able to show class comparisons of requested but not required to provide to all unless asked (hope that makes sense). - legislation /education act somewhere says that we have to do this.

**wysiwyg** · June 23rd, 2015, 05:21 PM

Thanks for the explanation, that makes sense - I am sure they must have misprinted and the key missed off the page)

Interesting about the education act, I wonder why they legislate for it, comparison against their actual class when the class is not based on ability but random just seems pointless.

***TripleJ*** · June 23rd, 2015, 05:32 PM

Looks like the preps at our school don't get scores all we got is a summary of wat they are up to Jamie's doing really well in maths and he's up to reading level 9 I think that's good but with the issues he's been having I'm glad his school work doesn't suffer

**Olive** · June 23rd, 2015, 07:30 PM

J I thought they had to provide the score (A-D scale)

**~Gee_Whizzy~** · June 23rd, 2015, 08:19 PM

J I thought they had to provide the score (A-D scale)

That's what I thought too!? I was under the impression that AusVELS was used in all Vic schools as it covers F(foundation)-Yr10 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

**leckert** · June 23rd, 2015, 08:38 PM

In SA a few years back foundation to Yr 2 (I think roughly) had the option of ABC grades or a statement along the lines X is working at Y level.

I can't recall if its definitely legislation/education act for the comparison stuff but I know it was during an enterprise bargaining period that it was talked about a lot (education Union was involved in the discussion in SA about it)

***TripleJ*** · June 24th, 2015, 07:20 PM

All good it is there now the teacher had trouble with the computer program but it's all fixed now

**Khaleesi** · June 24th, 2015, 08:12 PM

We have X is working at Y level.
Our preps only get graded on their classroom behavior, work..
The teachers then writes what areas they need help in.

DD2 got a great report & very positive feedback at the interview.
She just needs some more help with her writing which i knew.
Very happy

**wysiwyg** · July 8th, 2015, 09:20 PM

How is everyone enjoying the holidays? For me has really been no different as I have been at work (apart from the traffic is fantastic :-)), DH is out of work so has been home with DD and they seem to have enjoyed themselves - she seems keen for school to start next week though. Is doing junior choir this term - the main choir isn't for foundation/Yr1/Yr2 I think but this term due to demand are running one for the little ones. DD came home and wanted to do it even though it meant dropping her art class which she has done forever, I hope she likes it - I have never been very musical. Is nice for me too as it means the one day I get to do pick up we are not rushing off for art class so I am hoping I will get to know a few more people at the school (although pick up will be later and if not many foundation do it, it might mean I see even less parents! - hadn't thought of that).

**briggsy's girl** · July 11th, 2015, 08:04 PM

DD has been enjoying her holidays. I've been enjoying the fact she has finally recovered from the lurgy that has plagued her for weeks. Although our extended family all have it on varying degrees so the time away from us that we had planned for her to make holidays more enjoyable all had to be cancelled. I was still working most days so we really wanted unusual things for her to do but unfortunately it didn't happen. She doesn't seem too scarred by it though. We were very open with why she couldn't do things with sick people and stuff so all good.
We are all looking forward to Monday and her return to school. Actually I'm looking forward to Thursday - my day off and her at school. The downside of holidays for me is no time when I'm not at work where I'm also kidlet free (and relatively pain free). Stupid dodgy ears. Roll on Thursday!!!!